Infinitely
by Laurel West
Summary: Agent Noelle West of S.H.I.E.L.D. and a seemingly redeemed Loki have been given the task of bargaining with The Collector to reclaim the Infinity Stones he has stolen, but the extent to which Noelle can trust Loki has yet to be determined. She knows she may only be a pawn in his master plan, but the question is whether she's willing to let herself be played.
1. Scene 1: The Necklace

_**Author's Note: **__This story takes place after _The Dark World._ For my purposes, Loki did not fake his death nor take Odin's place. Instead, he was granted amnesty because of his heroics on Svartalfheim, though his relationships with Odin and Thor remain complicated. They (and we) still don't know how much they can trust him. _

_As background for this story, Thor and S.H.I.E.L.D. have recently discovered that The Collector has begun collecting the Infinity Stones for a nefarious purpose. With Loki's help and through a series of events, they have gained possession of the orange Infinity Stone (which controls time and, in this story, is part of a necklace). Agent Noelle West and Loki have been entrusted to tempt The Collector with the orange Infinity Stone in an effort to reclaim the Stones he has already acquired. _

_I should also note that this story will be written as a series of vignettes (or scenes), not as a full-fledged novel. Intermediate and progressive scenes and details will be skipped. Also, the title is a work-in-progress._

_Now I think that's about all you need to know so, please enjoy! And remember, reviews = love._

Infinitely

Loki unclasped the necklace as he stepped behind her. Noelle scooped her golden hair up and lifted it off her neck, very aware of him as he lowered the necklace over her head. His cool fingers tickled the back of her neck as he fastened the clasp, and the intimacy of the gesture was not lost on her. She let her hair fall back down to her shoulders as she turned to face him. Loki leaned back and took her in, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"How does it look?" Noelle asked, fingering the ornate gold necklace, dripping with dark orange jewels.

"You improve it." Was his flattering reply. "But it doesn't go with your apparel. We'll need to fix that."

"Okay, but how are we ..." Before Noelle could finish, Loki had waved his hand and instantly transformed the appearance of her wardrobe. She looked down appraisingly; her practical Midgardian outfit was replaced by an elegant Asgardian gown in shades of brown and gold - a gown that left little to the imagination.

"Stunning." Loki assessed, grinning broadly.

"We'll be taking the subtle approach, I see." Noelle quipped, attempting to pull up the very low neckline. It was immediately apparent, however, that it wasn't going to budge.

"We want to appeal to The Collector's affinity for beautiful women as well as his desire for powerful artifacts." Loki explained, his voice lowering and his smile turning mischievous as he stepped closer. Stopping just before her, he lifted his hand to her throat and slowly ran his fingers over the necklace. Noelle couldn't help but savor the feel of his fingers on the bare skin of her chest as he did so. His touch sent a wave of warmth through her body, and all her senses felt heightened by his proximity; she was tall for a woman, but still it felt as though he towered over her. He stopped on the main jewel of the necklace and picked it up, turning it over in his fingers, his knuckles brushing her skin just above her breast. She realized she was holding her breath when he lifted his eyes to meet hers.

They looked at each other, his piercing eyes captivating her for an expectant moment. She could feel his warm breath on her lips and was reminded to exhale. She did so slowly and their breath mixed. When she took another breath, she took in his clean, masculine, intoxicating scent. Then Loki inhaled deeply, drawing her face closer as he did so.

Noelle considered all she knew about this man, this god. She considered all she knew him capable of. He was jealous, at times full of rage. He was vengeful, at times cruel. He'd killed hundreds, human and non-, in a blind scramble for power.

He had also been broken. His entire childhood and adolescence had been a lie. His real father had abandoned him, his adoptive father had intended to use him. He'd grown in the shadow of his brother, always second best. And he was, at least in part, a monster.

Noelle understood the feeling of being unloved, even unlovable. She understood the desperate need to be loved.

Yet Loki was not incapable of love. He did not love easily, but he loved deeply. For all the complexities of their relationship, Noelle knew he loved Thor as his brother. And Frigga had been a true mother to him; her death had changed him. It was her death and his great love for her that had motivated his redemption.

At least, he seemed to have redeemed himself. He had helped defeat Malekith and the Dark Elves, helped save the world from darkness. He had honored his alliance with his brother, risked his life to save him and the woman he loved. Since then, he had been operating only as an ally for good, giving no indication of returning to his old ways. In fact, this mission to recover the stolen Infinity Stones had been his idea. Still, despite all he had done and not done to show he'd changed, Noelle knew it was dangerous to ever fully trust him.

She knew he could be cunning and cold. She knew he could snap in an instant. She knew all of this, but she also knew that he was fragile, passionate, and wanting. And beautiful... so very beautiful. So right now, she really didn't care. The desire she felt was so strong, some small part of her felt frightened, though all she wanted was for him to lean down that final inch and take her lips with his.

Despite Noelle's silent pleadings, Loki did not kiss her. He had seemed as though he was considering it, seemed as though he was thinking all same things she was, seemed as though he wanted her just as desperately... but ultimately he dropped the jewel and her gaze and stepped back.

"The Collector's interest will definitely be piqued." He assured, his gaze still appraising, but all Noelle could hear was the pounding of her own heart. "Are you ready?" He asked her, his brow furrowed. She took a deep breath, and attempted to clear her mind. She was on a mission, she reminded herself.

"I'm ready." She agreed, with more confidence than she felt. If she'd learned one thing as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., it was to appear in-control.

"Good." He replied, straightening to his full height. "Then it's time."


	2. Scene 2: The Trade

"So beautiful..." The Collector breathed, his fingers sliding down the necklace. Noelle anticipated they would stop and handle the main jewel, just as Loki's had, but to her surprise they continued. His fingertips slid off the large, orange stone and brushed between her breasts. Her stomach clenched at his touch, her instincts telling her to recoil, but before she could react his movement was abruptly halted.

She glanced to see Loki firmly holding The Collector's wrist, a stern expression arresting his features.

"I'll thank you to touch only what is being offered." He said in a tone that was both calm and menacing.

The Collector appeared slightly taken aback, though he had a curious way of not changing his expression when displaying emotion.

"My apologies," He replied.

Loki released his grip, then moved to place a possessive hand on Noelle's waist. Again she felt her stomach tighten, though this time was hardly from revulsion.

"I did not realize the woman belonged to you," The Collector said, noticing Loki's gesture.

Noelle took mild offense to being referred to as an object, but gave no reaction.

"She is not for trade," Loki's response was definitive. "The necklace is a more than sufficient offering."

The Collector looked mildly disappointed.

"A shame," He said, his eyes raking over Noelle's body. "She would make a fine addition to my collection."

Loki's arm gripped tighter at her waist, pulling her securely against him. She could feel the tension in his body. His protective reaction surprised her... And worried her. If the imperturbable Loki felt threatened, that was not a good sign.

"Are you sure I cannot change your mind?" The Collector asked, though he gave the impression that it was not a question. His expression and tone had not changed, but there was fire glowing in his eyes.

Noelle could feel the muscles in Loki's arm moving as he held her; his chest was pressed firmly to her back so that she could faintly feel his heart beating through his breastplate. This was not going well.

For a long moment, neither Loki nor The Collector spoke, and as much as she wanted to say something, Noelle too remained silent. They had all agreed that the negotiating should be left up to Loki and his silver tongue; there was too much at stake and crossing The Collector was extremely dangerous. But then again, no one had anticipated the negotiations involving Noelle. For all his lying talent, Loki had not been prepared to bargain for his mission partner with one of the most powerful and deadly beings in the universe.

Still, as perilous as the situation was, Noelle trusted Loki to talk his way out of it, so she waited, saying nothing. But The Collector's mask-like face showed no signs of relenting. Finally, Loki sighed.

"We will amend our offer."

Noelle's heart stopped, but she couldn't stop herself; the question escaped her without thought.

_"What?"_ She asked, barely above her breath.

"I will give you the woman and the necklace in exchange for the Aether." Loki stated formally, but Noelle knew what he was going to say before he said it. Just like that, her good faith was shattered. She knew she should not have trusted him. It had all been a lie. He'd had a plan from the beginning, and no price was too great. She should never have let herself believe he cared even the slightest bit about her. She knew it, she knew it, she knew it.

The Collector knew, too. His face was placidly triumphant as he gave a small bow.

"I accept your generous offer."

Emotion swelled up inside of Noelle: anger, fear, disgust, confusion, regret, and sorrow. Hot tears welled in her eyes; the urge to kick and punch and scream - at Loki, at The Collector, at herself - seized her, but Loki still held her tightly and he was far stronger than she was. She settled for digging her nails into his forearm, though she knew he probably barely felt it.

"I am sorry, Noelle." He said gently, his lips to her ear. "I know it's too much to ask for your forgiveness, but I do hope you can at least understand. I have no choice."

"Oh, I understand," Noelle seethed, no longer concerned about keeping quiet, "I understand. You're a liar and a traitor. I trusted you, but you only care about yourself. You think power is going to make you happy, you think a throne is going to give you satisfaction, but you're wrong. You're miserable, you will always be miserable, and _you will never be satisfied."_

Noelle felt Loki's body slacken the slightest bit, but he did not release her.

"A lovely speech," The Collector said in a bored tone,"But I prefer my trophies silent. Come, let us make the trade."

Noelle leveled the deadliest glare she could muster in his direction, her breathing heavy.

"Satisfaction's not in my nature," Loki sighed, his mouth still close to Noelle's ear, "I've accepted that."

She scoffed in response, but he took no notice.

"Goodbye, Noelle," He said, bending down to kiss her just below the jaw, "Farewell. I know you don't believe me, but I do care for you. This is just something I must do..."

Noelle was so distracted by her rage, by Loki's lips against her throat, that she didn't even notice his free hand was clutching at her neck until she felt a burning sensation everywhere the necklace touched her skin.

Then there was a blinding flash, and everything went still.

_A/N: Like it? Want more? Let me know! _


	3. Scene 3: The Possibility

Noelle blinked several times until her eyes adjusted.

Still. Everything was so very still. And quiet.

The Collector's vault had been teeming with life; the scurrying and chirping of creatures had been all around them. Now there was no sound other than her own breath. And Loki's.

He had finally released his grip on her, but she could still feel him standing close behind her. And just steps in front of her, unmoving, unblinking, unbreathing even, stood The Collector.

Noelle looked back at Loki, who appeared to be rather pleased with himself as his gaze moved slowly around the room.

"What did you do?" She asked him, quietly but pointedly. Anger still pulsed through her, but it was quickly being overtaken by curiosity.

Loki had moved to stand in front of one of The Collector's glass cases and tapped on the pane. The creature within gave no reaction. The vault was no longer a zoo; it was a museum. Loki grinned.

"It worked."

"_What_ worked?" Noelle huffed. Loki turned back to her.

"The necklace," He replied, his grin broadening, "The Stone."

Noelle suddenly remembered the jewelry around her throat, which now felt unusually heavy and very warm. The necklace. The Stone. The Orange Infinity Stone. Loki had activated it. _Loki had stopped time._

"Get it off of me," Noelle gasped, fumbling behind her neck to unclasp it.

"No," Loki said sharply, moving to stop her in one long stride. He tightly grasped her fingers with his, lowering her hands. "It must be worn in order for it to work." His voice grew gentler as he explained, "You must wear it until we escape."

Noelle searched his eyes, ageless and bottomless, as he stood before her, still holding her hands at her sides. Would she ever be able to tell when he was telling the truth? He didn't look away, and the silence pressed in upon them.

Only when he wanted her to, she decided.

"You planned this, didn't you?" She finally asked him.

"I was prepared for the possibility," He assented.

"You weren't really going to trade me, were you?" She had to know.

He considered for a moment before answering, "Not if I didn't have to."

Though it was what she wanted to hear, Noelle believed him. A tiny measure of her good faith was restored; he had a least known what he was doing and had not predetermined her to be disposable. He would not have stopped time to allow them to escape if he were truly willing to discard her. Still, her guard was anything but down. Just because he kept her around didn't mean he cared about her; it only meant she was a valuable chess piece, a pawn he had yet to move. And for now, she knew that would have to do.

"Why didn't you just use the Stone in the first place?" She asked, "Why bother bargaining at all?"

"Meddling with time is unpredictable, precarious. It's best left as a last resort," Loki explained.

"Since when are you so cautious?" Noelle scoffed. Loki didn't respond, though his eyes twinkled and he stepped back, dropping her hands. "Well then," She sighed, "What are we waiting for? Let's get out of here."

"Not just yet," Loki replied, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "There's just one matter to attend to first."

Noelle frowned. She knew exactly what he was referring to, but still she asked, "And what is that?"

"We've come all this way," Loki grinned fully, "It would be a shame to leave empty-handed."

_A/N: Short scene, I know, but as I said at the out-set, I'm no novel-writer. Still, I hope you enjoy the story I'm building! If so, please review and let me know!_


	4. Scene 4: The Glimpse

He had told her not to touch anything. He had said that as long as she wore the Orange Stone, it was unwise to handle anything unknown, most of all the other Infinity Stones. The more Stones you had together, the more potent each became; the result of their interaction was unpredictable, but most likely extremely dangerous. He had told her all of this, and she had understood.

But there was such a strong pull. It was physical, it was mental, it was emotional. It was powerful. The Stones wanted to be together.

She had resisted the Aether. Loki had found it first and quickly concealed it, using his magic to store it safely away. She could still feel it on him, even from a distance, but the urge was dulled.

But the Yellow Stone. She found it before Loki did. She felt it before she saw it. It pulled her, pulled her by the throat. She tried to talk herself out of it, tried to stop walking, tried to call out to Loki, but she could do nothing. She felt as though she were on the outside, watching herself reach for the small, canary-yellow stone, powerless to intervene. By the time Loki saw her, by the time he'd lunged, it was too late; her fingers wrapped around the round, marble-like stone, and an indescribable force surged through her.

* * *

She was not aware of having fallen, though the throbbing in her head indicated that she must have. She was vaguely aware, however, of a face above her and the support of a hand under her neck.

"Agent West?"

Someone was trying to illicit a response from her.

"Agent West." The tone was more demanding now.

She thought she knew that voice; its deepness seemed to stir something within her. She wanted to answer.

"Noelle..."

She did know that voice. That whisper. That breath.

She harnessed all her will to speak, to say his name back, but before her lips could move, he was gone.

And then he was there again, clear as could be. Only, not above her. He was standing before her, and she was standing before him. She didn't remember standing up. Then again, she didn't remember falling down in the first place either, and the throbbing in her head was gone.

Not only were they in different positions, Loki looked different, too. He wore a large, horned, golden helmet, a dangerous and triumphant smile, and on his left hand... a gold gauntlet, encrusted with several small stones in various colors.

"Loki..." Noelle breathed.

He didn't respond. At least, not to her; his gaze reached just beyond her.

Noelle turned to see who he was looking at, and was shocked to see her reflection.

No, it wasn't her reflection. Not quite. The woman looked just like her, but her eyes were too bright, her skin too luminescent, her hair too long. She was a faintly otherworldly version of Noelle.

"You have it?" Loki asked her, the other Noelle, greed lacing his voice.

"I have it." The other Noelle answered silkily, and with a flourish of her wrist, what appeared to be a large, rough-cut emerald appeared in her palm.

"I knew you wouldn't fail," Loki smiled his wicked smile and moved to take the gem. He held it up to the light, turning it around to admire it. "The last Stone," He declared reverently.

"You have all six now," The other Noelle agreed. "I've done all that you've asked of me. And more. I believe thanks are in order now." Loki's expression became calculating as he glanced sideways at her.

"Giving you magic was not thanks enough?" He asked, his tone presenting both a threat and an invitation. The other Noelle stepped closer to him, her voice maintaining its silkiness when she answered.

"I am grateful for that gift," She replied, "But you owe me a lot more than that. You'd be three Stones short if it weren't for me."

Watching unblinkingly from the outside, Noelle couldn't help but notice that Loki only stood a few inches taller than her. His presence, particularly when he was close, had always made her feel as though she was diminutive, but from this perspective she could clearly see how closely they were matched.

She could also see what she – the _other_ she – was doing, standing close to Loki's side, the space between them finite, her face hovering close to his.

"What is it that you want?" He asked her, his voice low. He continued to look at her sideways; he had not turned his body to face hers, but he stood perfectly still, fixated.

The other Noelle said nothing, only leaned forward and carefully placed a small, deliberate kiss on Loki's unmoving lips.

Noelle felt her own stomach turn over. She held her breath waiting for Loki's reaction. For a long moment he gave none, other than to pensively search the other Noelle's waiting face. Finally, slowly, he slid his right hand into her loose hair, gripping her by the back of the neck, and turned his body to be flush with hers. Then, with an unexpected hunger, Loki took her mouth with his.

* * *

Noelle gasped, feeling as though she were breaking the surface. Her eyes swam for a moment, but gradually focused on the face above her. Loki's face was _above_ her again, his hands cradling her head. The support was welcome; the throbbing had returned in force.

"Agent West?" Loki asked, his brow furrowed. He looked angry.

"Yes?" Was all she could muster.

"Look at me." He demanded, and Noelle realized her eyes had been wandering, trying to avoid his harsh gaze. But she quickly complied, looking him straight in the eye. He was going to yell at her. He was going to call her a stupid mortal and chastise her for not listening. She knew it, and braced herself for his outburst.

But he didn't scold. He didn't yell. What he _did_ do, though, scared her much worse.

"Noelle," He said sharply, his eyes piercing her, _"What did you see?"_

_A/N: For those who might not know, the Yellow Infinity Stone is the Reality stone, capable of altering reality and fulfilling wishes. Also, a note to any hardcore comic fans, I've come to realize that my OC loosely resembles the Enchantress. This resemblance was and is completely unintentional. To those who've followed and/or reviewed: Thank you and I love you. And finally, to those who are enjoying this story but have yet to review: Please, please do!_


	5. Scene 5: The Revelation

_A/N: A huge shout-out to my readers!_

_JigokuShoujosRevenge: Thank you for your continued interest and your kind reviews!_

_JaybiePepper: It means so much to me that you think I write Loki well! He's a complex character and I struggle sometimes with making him both dangerous and vulnerable, so I'm very glad that you're happy with how I'm portraying him._

_To everyone reading, following, and/or reviewing: Thank you again! As long as you keep the love coming, I'll keep coming with the story! Now, enjoy this latest scene!_

* * *

_"What did you see?"_

Noelle considered Loki's question, her eyes locked on his, her heart pounding. She didn't know how to answer him. What _did_ she see?

Somewhere in the back of her mind, over the throbbing in her ears, she heard the voice of Agent Maria Hill…

* * *

_"Everything we know about the Infinity Stones, or Infinity Gems, is speculation, based on rumors about legends," Agent Hill had begun her debriefing of Noelle. "Even with the added knowledge of our Asgardian allies, we grasp very little about their capabilities, individually or collectively. What little we do know is as follows: _

_"The Blue Stone is the Tesseract, known more universally as the Mind Stone. As you know, we've had some experience with this Stone. _

_"The Red Stone is the Aether and is pure power. As you also know, it nearly destroyed Greenwich recently._

_"The Orange Stone - which you and your team with the aid of Thor and Loki recently acquired - controls time, though we're as yet unsure as to what all that entails. Stopping time and traveling through time are likely capabilities._

_"The Purple, Green, and Yellow Stones we know even less about. We only know that they have power over space, souls, and reality, respectively. The Purple Space Stone may facilitate teleportation of sorts, the Green Soul Stone may reanimate the dead, and the Yellow Reality Stone can likely alter reality._

_"Separately, the Stones are to be considered extremely dangerous. Altogether, there's no guessing what damage they could do – not only to our world, but to every world. It is for this reason that we must stop The Collector – and anyone else, for that matter – from possessing all six."_

* * *

Reality. The Yellow Stone altered reality. Is that what she saw? An alternate reality? But it was one set in the future; could the Yellow Stone do that, too? Alter the future?

Maybe it was the combination of the Orange Stone and the Yellow Stone. Maybe wearing the Orange Stone and holding the Yellow Stone had given her a glimpse of a possible – _possible,_ not definite – future. That made sense.

But she wasn't going to tell Loki that, no matter how he glared at her.

"Agent West," He spoke again, still bent over her, "I'll ask you again. What did you see?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Noelle replied, lifting herself into a sitting position, resting with her hands on the floor to support her weight. She felt dizzy.

Loki leaned back but remained on his knees beside her.

"No," He said, almost shakily, "You saw something. What was it?"

Noelle studied him, his pale skin, his bright eyes. Every once in a while, his hardened exterior would crack, ever so slightly, and she could see vestiges of the young prince, rejected and lost, that he tried so hard to hide. Now was one of those times.

On the surface he was angry, just barely containing his rage. But Noelle could tell his breath was ragged, could see the glistening in his eyes, could tell by the set of his jaw… He was scared.

Her lack of response pushed him over the edge, and he snapped.

_"TELL ME!" _He yelled at her.

Noelle flinched, but was otherwise unfazed. She waited for him to take a few heavy breaths before responding.

"Loki," She said calmly, "Where's the Yellow Stone?"

She already knew the answer. It was no longer in her palm - she'd realized that when she sat up and put her hands on the floor – but she could still sense it.

Loki gave her a surprised, confused look – then a resolved look, as he lifted his hand and opened his fingers. Looking just like a marble a child would play with, the Yellow Stone was in his palm.

"This was never about stopping The Collector, was it?" Noelle asked him, still placid, searching his face. He held her gaze defiantly. "This was never about helping S.H.I.E.L.D.," She continued, "Or even helping Thor…" Loki's anger flared again.

"I won't ask you again," He demanded, "Tell me what you saw."

"I think you already know." Was all Noelle said, but it was enough. Without a word, Loki closed his fingers around the Yellow Stone and lunged forward, the same hand grabbing the main jewel of the necklace Noelle still wore – all before she could even blink. The resulting surge of power crashed over both of them.

* * *

Again, Noelle found herself inexplicably upright. Again, she felt relieved of any effects of having fallen to the ground. Again, a Loki in full regalia stood before her. But this time, another Loki also stood beside her. She glanced at him, and he put a warning finger to his lips. She obligingly said nothing, and he turned to watch the scene before them.

Noelle watched Loki as the scene played out just as it had the first time: the appearance of the other Noelle, the presentation of the final Stone, the other Noelle's desire for thanks, her flirtation, and the other Loki's ultimate concession. As he watched, the Loki beside Noelle mirrored all the emotions of the other Loki: greed, triumph, wariness, fixation, and hunger.

* * *

When the scene closed, they were back in another blink of an eye; back on the floor of The Collector's vault, where time continued to stand still. Noelle was sitting up again, leaning back on her hands, Loki crouched close to her. They only looked at each other for a long moment, each catching their breath, and Noelle knew Loki was having to regain his bearings just as she was.

And then he grabbed her by the back of the neck, pulling her against his chest and crushing his mouth against hers.


	6. Scene 6: The Desire

Noelle felt as though she were drowning. Or suffocating. Something dangerously close to panic overwhelmed her, shutting down all of her senses. She gasped for air, and the oxygen revived her, allowing sensation to assault her.

Loki's kiss was all-consuming, his warm lips moving forcefully against hers. His delectable scent engulfed her, and his cool hands, behind her neck and in her hair, held her firmly against him. He licked her lips and she shuddered. He bit her lower lip and she surged, kissing him back with abandon, clutching at his collar. Fully supported by the strength of his arms, she forgot about any need to hold herself up.

She forgot where they were, she forgot why they were there, she forgot which way was up and which was down. The desire he had ignited within her was so intense, she all but forgot her own name. All she knew was the feel of him, the smell of him, the taste of him, and the sound of his intermittent breaths.

Eventually he softened his kiss, pressing his lips against hers slowly, carefully.

And then with some finality, he placed a burning kiss to her throat, just below her jaw – precisely where he had kissed her when he activated the Orange Stone.

Noelle opened her eyes. Her breathing was shallow, her head still ached dully, and she could feel the blood rushing throughout her body. Loki's kiss on her lips had overwhelmed her, but his kiss on her neck had been like a shot of adrenaline. Instantly, she remembered: the Stones. This was about the Infinity Stones.

This was about Loki plotting to gain them all.

"We could do it, you know," He said, his voice low, his lips against her ear.

"Do what?" Noelle managed to exhale. Loki leaned back to look at her, though his hands remained at her neck, his fingers still tangled in her hair. She brushed a few stray stands from her forehead and absently noticed the sleeve of her shirt; at some point, Loki must have neglected to maintain the illusion of her gown. This realization gave her an odd thrill; despite his best efforts to the contrary, Loki did not always have everything under control.

"We could make that future a reality," He replied, his face dangerously alight. "We could rule. I could be the king I always should have been… and you could be my queen."

Noelle knew he had this madness within him, but this was her first true glimpse. She knew of the hunger for power he'd displayed in the past, knew of the things he had done to try to grasp it. Only moments before she'd witnessed his desperation to know what the future held, all because of the need he still harbored, but this was the first time she was seeing the maniacal lust he felt so plainly written on his features. Before he'd seen what she saw, he'd felt threatened, he'd felt found-out. Now, he was excited.

"King? Queen? Of what?" She asked him.

He chuckled before responding, "Of _everything."_

In the deepest parts of her, Noelle wanted to accept. It would be a lie to say the vision they had seen was not the least bit tempting, especially now that she'd had a taste of Loki for herself. She was a woman, after all, full of emotion and desire.

But she was also an agent. She was trained and intelligent. She might never know how much she should trust Loki, but she knew enough to know that it would never be infinitely.

"You say that," She sighed, leaning out of his grasp and moving to stand, "But I know better."

Loki's face contorted in confusion as he too rose to his feet.

"You think it not possible?" He asked.

"Oh, I know it's possible," Noelle almost laughed. "I don't doubt for a second that we could get our hands on all the Infinity Stones if we put our minds to it. But I also know you, Loki. At least, well enough to know there's always some master plan." His brow furrowed in response.

"I don't understand."

"Oh, really? Because you're doing it right now."

Loki lifted his eyebrows, but said nothing. After a moment, he waved one hand to indicate that she should continue. Noelle was afraid she wasn't going to be able to stop once she got started, but she didn't know what else to do.

"You're employing your plan right now," She explained. "You're manipulating me. Maybe you'd really have me as your 'queen,' maybe you wouldn't; all that matters is that I think you would and that I want to be."

Loki folded his arms over his chest, a smile threatening to break across his face.

"Go on," He prodded. Noelle couldn't help but comply.

"That kiss," She continued, "Making me think you wouldn't relinquish me at the drop of a hat, _this entire mission,_ and likely everything you've done since Thor let you out of that cell, was manipulation. You may not have always known all the particulars, and I'm sure you've had to adapt your plan, but I know now that you've had one from the beginning."

Noelle concluded her speech, and waited for Loki's rebuttal. She didn't know what to expect, as he seemed perfectly unfazed by her condemnation.

"So you think you have me pretty well figured out, do you?" He grinned, stepping closer to her. Despite knowing now how she measured up to him, his proximity still made her feel small. She gazed up at him expectantly. _"I_ may not be honest, but be honest with yourself, Agent West. You've always known I'm not to be trusted," He continued, lightly running one curved finger down the line of her jaw, his voice taking on that threatening, enticing tone the other Loki had used, "So this really doesn't change anything, does it?"

His final sentence held such weight, it seemed to hold Noelle down.

No, she had to admit to herself, it didn't. It really didn't change anything.

What it did change, was everything.

* * *

_A/N: And so we come to the conclusion of another scene. I do hope the kiss was everything you'd hoped it would be! At this point in the story, I'm now open to suggestions as to what you'd like to see happen next. I have an over-arching idea of where I want to go with this story, but after this chapter I don't have as many details conceived. And so the usual plea applies: reviews are immensely, tremendously, stupendously appreciated. Please and thank you!_


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